Wolford, Ballinger earn state medals

Monday

Mar 4, 2013 at 9:30 AM

By Ed Patino

ed.patino@hillsdale.netAUBURN HILLS — Jarret Wolford and Carter Ballinger put fitting caps on their strong wrestling seasons.Both the Reading senior and the Jonesville junior earned state medals, while two other county wrestlers competed at the Individual State Wrestling Tournament over the weekend at The Palace of Auburn Hills.Wolford capped his career for the Reading High School wrestling team by placing fifth in the 160-pound Division 4 bracket. Ballinger earned his state medal by placing sixth in the 125-pound Division 4 bracket.Hillsdale sophomore Kevin Curby wrestled in the 160-pound Division 4 bracket with Wolford, while Jonesville sophomore Jonathan Rodriguez competed in the 189-pound Division 4 bracket.Wolford went 4-2 on the weekend to place fifth. The Reading senior opened with a 10-2 major decision over Shane Aney (Rudyard) before falling to Taylor Krupp (New Lothrup) in the second round. Wolford pinned Bradley Lautenschlager (Bad Axe) in 4:49, then beat Tommy Reed (Constantine) 12-9. After a loss to Hesperia's Lee Siersema, Wolford closed the tournament with a 15-0 technical fall over Logan Burns.Wolford finished the season with a 41-7 record.Ballinger got off to a strong start in the 125-pound bracket with pinfall victories over Cayleb Winkler (3:43) and Tristan Viglianco (1:14). After falling to Mio's Zach Mack by an 11-9 decision, Ballinger lost to Decatur's Hunter Bell and Bronson's Hunter Machus to clinch sixth place.For the season, the Jonesville junior went 43-4.Curby finished the weekend with a 1-2 record for Hillsdale. He opened with a loss to Manton's Tristin Rosted, but came back by pinning Lincoln Burnham (Carson City) in 2:36. Curby was eliminated with a loss to Logan Burns in his third match.Curby posted a 34-9 record for the season.Rodriguez had two tough matches in the tournament, falling to New Lothrup's Cody Symons in the opening round and dropping a close 4-3 decision to Bronson's Brett Burtrum. For the season Rodriguez finished with a 25-11 record for Jonesville.The Division 4 state wrestling champions were Roddy Hamdan (Hudson, 103), Logan Griffin (Erie Mason, 112), Zack Yates (Hesperia, 119), Zach Mack (Mio, 125), Cole Weaver (Hudson, 130), J.D. Waters (Hudson, 135), Jacob Perrin (New Lothrup, 140), Josh Wendling (New Lothrup, 145), Jared Bruner (Addison, 152), Jacob Cooper (Springport, 160), Galloway Thurston (St. Ignace, 171), Steven Malloy (Morley Stanwood, 189), Joe Ostman (St. Ignace, 215) and Ryan Prescott (Whittemore-Prescott, 285).